Interesting Facts

• The Watchers are identified as angels of the Lord who descended to Earth in the days of Jared to instruct humankind and establish righteousness [2, Jubilees 4:15b].
• However, they deviated from their intended purpose and took wives from the daughters of men, defiling themselves [2, Enoch 7:1].
• These unions resulted in the birth of giants [3, 13, Enoch 7:4, 15:3, Jubilees 5:9].
• The Watchers imparted forbidden knowledge to humankind, including charms, enchantments, the cutting of roots, the properties of plants, the art of metalworking, the use of weapons, cosmetics, astrology, and other celestial and earthly secrets [2, 3, Enoch 7:1-2, 8:1-3].
• A division existed among the Watchers, with leaders like Semjaza and Azazel playing prominent roles in their transgression [3, Enoch 8:3, 10:11, 28:6-7].
• Enoch was specifically called upon to testify against the Watchers for their transgressions [10, 11, Enoch 12:3-4, Jubilees 4:22].
• The actions of the Watchers led to great destruction and corruption on the earth, prompting cries of lament from humankind to ascend to heaven [3, 28, Enoch 7:4-6, 28:2].
• The Watchers and their offspring, the evil spirits, were ultimately subjected to divine judgment and punishment [13, 14, 31, 32, Enoch 10:11-15, 15:8-11, 16:1, Jubilees 5:6-7].

Genealogy

• The Watchers are described as angels of the Lord [2, Jubilees 4:15b] or holy ones of heaven [10, Enoch 12:4], indicating their celestial origin. Their ancestry is within the divine realm.
• The texts do not describe a birth or creation event for the Watchers, implying their pre-existence before their descent to Earth.
• Their marital connections were with the daughters of men, each choosing a wife for himself [2, Enoch 7:1].
• Their offspring were the giants, also referred to as the Naphidim [43, Jubilees 7:22]. These giants consumed the acquisitions of men and eventually turned against and devoured humankind [3, Enoch 7:4-5].
• From the spirits and flesh of the giants proceeded evil spirits who would afflict, oppress, destroy, and cause trouble on the earth [13, Enoch 15:8-11]. These evil spirits are considered the progeny of the Watchers’ transgression.

Historical Context

The descent of the Watchers occurred in the days of Jared, a period calculated to be around the year 461 A.M. [1, 2, Jubilees 4:15b]. This event took place within the lineage of Seth. According to the Book of Jasher, in the days preceding this, rebellion and transgression against God were increasing [13, Jasher 2:3], and idolatry had begun [13, Jasher 2:4-5]. The descent of the Watchers exacerbated this moral decline by introducing forbidden arts and sciences, leading to further corruption and violence on the earth [3, 28, Enoch 8:1-3, 9:1-2]. The giants born from their unions contributed significantly to the lawlessness, consuming mankind and even sinning against animals [3, Enoch 7:4-6]. The archangels themselves witnessed this bloodshed and unrighteousness and pleaded with the Lord regarding the situation [28, Enoch 9:1-11]. This period is depicted as a time of great moral turpitude, directly preceding the divine judgment that would come upon the earth.

Narrative

The narrative of the Watchers begins with their descent from heaven with the initial purpose of instructing humankind in judgment and uprightness [2, Jubilees 4:15b]. However, they succumbed to lust and took wives from among the daughters of men [2, Enoch 7:1], an act considered a defilement [10, Enoch 12:4]. Their actions led to the procreation of the giants who brought immense suffering to humanity [3, Enoch 7:4-6]. Furthermore, the Watchers revealed eternal secrets and taught humankind knowledge that was not intended for them, such as the making of weapons, cosmetics, and astrological practices [3, Enoch 8:1-3, 28:6]. This dissemination of forbidden knowledge is portrayed as a major catalyst for the increase in godlessness and corruption [3, Enoch 8:2]. Enoch, a righteous man, was called upon to deliver a message of condemnation to the Watchers, declaring that they would have no peace nor forgiveness [10, 11, Enoch 12:4-5, 13:1-2, Jubilees 4:22]. Despite their pleas for intercession, their judgment was sealed [12, Enoch 14:4-7]. The Lord commanded that the Watchers be bound in the depths of the earth for seventy generations until their final judgment [31, 32, Enoch 10:11-13, Jubilees 5:6, 10]. Their offspring, the giants, were also destined for destruction, and their spirits became evil spirits that would plague the earth [31, 32, 33, Enoch 10:9, 15:8-11, Jubilees 5:7, 9-11]. The narrative of the Watchers serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of disobeying divine commands and the corruption that can ensue when celestial and terrestrial realms improperly intermingle.